This is a nice time lapse video of Toronto by photographer Ryan Emond.  It’s an interesting and creative perspective of my city!  

 

Planet Toronto from Ryan Emond on Vimeo.

I played tour guide for a couple of my relatives a few weeks ago.  These pics were taken at the Distillery District.  This old part of Toronto dates back to 1832.  The distillery there started at 1837.  It continued until 1990 when it stopped and became a film location.  It then transformed into a arts and culture / retail / tourist attraction.  There’s more history here in this link.  It’s a pedestrian only place and it’s small enough to be easily seen in a half day or so.  It was a cool & bright sunny afternoon when we eventually got there.  Due to time constraints, we didn’t spend a lot of time there.  It’s a nice place to explore with a brewery, galleries, restaurants, and interesting stores.  

 

A lot of the parts from old machines from the sites are on display.

I wanted to hang a for sale sign on this truck… “just a bit of surface rust”

But my conscience was guided by a higher being.

There’s some interesting modern sculptures here.

I think this was near a day care centre.  I wonder if any of the kids have nightmares about this thing.

That’s it… back to my Sunday chores.

J and I went to Taiwanfest atToronto’s Harbourfront over the weekend.  It was hot and sticky weekend.  The breeze coming in from the lake helped a bit.  But I was still sweaty and sticky at the end of the night.  There was food (I gorged on most of it before I even had my camera out).

I think this was sausage w/ sticky rice.

This was another sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf that has been steamed.  The inside had pork, peanuts, chestnuts and other goodies.

There was stuff for kids to do. 

This toy was not operated by battery.   Ok ok… it’s a spin top.  It was trickier than it looks.  While I was watching, there was one middle aged woman who seemed to be very good at it.  A lot of folks weren’t able to master it. 

Members from the Wild  Harvest Music of Taiwan (aboriginal music)

Tap dancing from Dance Works from Taiwan.  Despite the heat, they were quite energetic. 

I did some digging and found out they do some pretty neat stuff.

Thank goodness we were able to escape the heat by catching a documentary called Baseball Boys.  It’s about a boys baseball team from a small school in Taiwan.  The movie does have subtitles although the trailer below doesn’t.

We also saw a couple of musicians on Friday and Saturday night.  I have never heard of any of them before although J knows the Mandopop stuff a lot more than I do.  They had a competent house band performing with them.  I don’t understand the language (a few songs were in English) but that didn’t really matter.  I had almost forgotten I enjoyed watching live music.  It’s been awhile.

Yen J – interesting jazz pop musician. 

The next night we saw Victor Wong Pin Kuan.  He is more well known and a bigger draw than Yen J.  His deep and smooth voice charmed everyone.  He also knew how to work the crowd and kept a steady banter all night.  

At one point, he took out his smart phone and filmed the audience.

Some of the band members.

I learned a few tough lessons on photography.  I was playing around with my aperture setting during the 2nd day and forgot to reset it for concert.  I didn’t pay any attention to it until about halfway through the show.  I changed it back to where I wanted.  But sometime during the show, I messed it up again while fumbling around.  I had my flash with me but the pictures that worked best were without the flash.  The lighting for the 2nd show seemed a bit dimmer than the first.  I’m not sure why.  As a result, a lot of pictures of Pin Kuan were blurry. Also at one point during the show, I figured I better get my spare memory card ready in case I need it.  I knew it was securely stored in one of the many pockets in the bag.  I never did find it. 

Growl… I was a bit red from being angry with myself.

 

 

 

They sit together in timeless eternity.  They reach out to each other but their hands will feel nothing but air.  This is their fate which they have quietly accept. 

J and I went to the Waterfront Night Market at the T&T Supermarket lot on Saturday night.  It was jammed with people and I don’t think the organizers were as prepared as they thought.  I think this is part of the growing pains of an event that has become very popular.  There was a wide array of foods but did we really need several stinky tofu stands?  What happened to Susur Lee’s food from a couple of years ago?  What happened to the Bahn Mi Boys from last year? Parents who brought baby carriages had no idea how to maneuver them through the crowds.  Kids walking around and eating from skewers while being bumped would have made a nice but gory photo op.  Thankfully while I heard some children crying, none were injured.  There were rides for kids but I never saw anyone on them.  The folks from Reel Asian were there with a film but there weren’t a lot of chairs set up for it.  There were some grandparents there.  I have no idea how they survived.

The parking lot across the street was big although it could have been better organized.  After a few hours, the attendants couldn’t be bothered keeping the cars lined up.  Just like last year, there were no lights in the parking lot.  But at least they had several policemen who stopped traffic so the pedestrians could cross.  There were several workers trying to keep the place clean.  They were busy cleaning out the garbage bins which were scattered throughout the area.  They still could have used a few more bins.  I just wished the workers didn’t use the supermarket carts to carry out the garbage.  Couldn’t they have at least lined it with something?  I hope the organizers cleaned those carts afterwards. There were several outdoor toilets (thank you).  The one I used didn’t have any toilet paper & the seat was soaking wet.  One of the portable sinks was clogged and there weren’t any paper towels.  A few more attendants to keep it cleaner would have helped.  I thought I would be smart and use the one inside the supermarket.  But the lineup there was longer than the one for the stinky tofu. 

I’d probably go back again next year.  Why?  Because I can’t get enough of these things.  I hope they get rid of the rides and the small basketball court to free up some more space so that people can move around easier.   I have mixed feelings about the booths from the sponsors (Campbell and Canada Dry Ginger Ale) – they just didn’t seem to fit in.  What happened to the cars you promised?  There were a lot more last year.  Aside from the Subaru BRZ and an old Porsche – there wasn’t anything else.  But while I like cars, I think they too can be sacrificed.  I hope the organizers can just focus on a nice night market experience and not worry about trying to do too much. 

Here are some pictures… most are self explanatory.

Lobsters and welk.

Coconuts.  I actually have a pet peeve about this.  Everyone drinks the coconut water and throws the coconut away.  There’s still some good coconut meat inside – what a waste.

It’s sort of like a steamed flour with various toppings and a spicy broth.  

I think this is sticky rice with peanuts, sugar and coconut on the outside.

Grilled squids

stinky tofu

Oyster Omelet

It’s like a very crowded Chinese restaurant… do you want to share a table?

The “car show”… Subaru BRZ. 

The Pinoy community was well represented.  J took an unusual interest in this booth.

Pancit Palabok – I don’t think the napa cabbage should be there.  It wasn’t that warm and the shrimps were overcooked.  But the taste was still ok and there
 was some chicharon on top. 

When J left my condo, I asked for a goodnight kiss.  He said I smelled like stinky tofu and advised me to take a shower.  I sniffed myself and said I didn’t smell that bad. But he wasn’t buying any of it and left without giving me a happy ending. 

I went to Pride Parade last Sunday for the first time on a whim.  The following Monday was a holiday and I was able to put off my chores and work stuff for another day. 
The Pride Parade always seemed to be delivering a mixed message to me.  On one hand, it’s the celebration & assertion of gay rights; the recognition of the struggle for freedom and equality and also of the contributions and breadth of the LGBT community.  One the other hand there’s the overt, in your face, sexually charged aspect that attracts most of the attention.  In the past few years, there’s also been a heavier corporate hand making it feel more commercial.   

This year’s Pride Parade seemed less corporate.  There were corporate signs but it wasn’t overpowering.  There was some nudity (none in the pictures here) and the usual scantily dressed men and women.  There were quite a few eye candies.  I saw church groups, the military, the first respondents, groups different cultures and school groups.  I left early as I had to meet up with my dad & sis for our weekly dinner.  I know I missed the guys in leather (but I’m not into leather).  The one group that really puzzled me was a handful of folks walking with signs proudly announcing they were asexual.  It was tame for the most part and I liked seeing the broad spectrum of the community and its supporters.  I don’t think the debate about whether or not pride is good for the cause and representative of our community will ever be settled.  But it was good for me to see the LGBT community. 

Here are some of the pictures I took.

The co-Grand Marshals of the parade, the Provincial Education Minister Laurel Broten (on the left) and Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Cheri DiNovo). 

Toronto Gay Gamers – I read that this is the first time they are in the parade.

These guys looked good together.

From our military (the Navy), they were playing Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline when they marched past me.  They had the crowd singing along.

Someone from the Navy with a nice smile. 

I don’t know if he was winking intentionally when he saluted.

He wasn’t smiling. But then again, it must have been a long walk for him.  He just had this determined look in his face.

I didn’t see what group they belonged to.

Rev. Brent Hawkes who has been active in the gay community for a long time.

More of the parade participants:

 

 

Comedian Rick Mercer and Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke.  This is the 3rd year Mr. Burke has marched in the parade in memory of his son.

I like the flag on his cheek.

 

One of the guys from MTV Canada’s 1 Girl 5 Gays (I think he is one of the high school students that was in a special edition of that show)

I liked their sign.  (Free Hugs from a PFLAG Mom / Dad)

Despite the crowd, the heat, getting sprayed on and getting bumped all the time, I probably would go back again.

 

It’s been some time since I posted some photos.  When I started to play with my camera again, I forgot how to change a lot of the settings again.  It’s a bit frustrating because I do enjoy photography.  I just wished my mind could remember all of these things. 

Since I work from home now, I sometimes will go for a quick walk after work.  I can still catch a few rays by the park and walk around a bit before heading back to make dinner.

One weekend, I went out for walk after dinner and heard music by the park.  It was Portugal Day festival.  The neighbourhood has a large Portuguese heritage.  There was a concert (all in Portuguese of course) as well as some rides.  A lot of folks wore the red and green colours. 

A picture of one of the rides (yeah yeah… the guy with the bike is not Portugese).

Since it’s the summer, the Farmer’s Market (2 in my ‘hood!) are on again.  This is in the same park.

I stocked up with some jams, muffins and maple syrup. 

This sign started to appear in the ‘hood a couple of years ago around Pride (July 1st in Toronto).  It’s a play on the neighbourhood name of Queen St. West.  A lot of the stores have this on display to support Pride week.

 

While walking back from grocery shopping, I saw a float for the Portuguese Day drive by.  It’s another example of the diverse culture in Toronto and in my neighborhood.  As I continued walking, I saw a bunch of cyclist coming my way.  They were still about 100 meters or so from me and were stopped at a traffic light.  The odd thing is that they looked naked.  When the light turned green and they made their way down to street, they were indeed naked.  Click here and here.  Pedestrians stared awkwardly, some kept on walking, some turned away while I tried to figure out how to stare discreetly.

There were all sorts of sizes and shapes in the 50 to 60 cyclists.  A few people were clothed and there was at least one woman who was painted.  I found out later it was part of World Naked Bike Ride.   Clearly these folks weren’t shy about their bodies.  I doubt if you’ll catch me doing something like that.  I mean, how do you handle the chaffing and saddle sores – let alone folks like me who will stare?  While I’m ok showering in a gym, I get uncomfortable if I think someone is staring at me. I mean, even when I’m with J – I’ll cover up.  (ok – just kidding).  I’ve never been one that has ever felt comfortable with my own skin (in more ways than one). 

But writing about nudity is kinda boring.  Maybe we should have a poll – which Xangan do you want to see naked.  (Of course, no one will respond to this question).  Which Xangan do you think is comfortable nude in public?  Will Alex organize a nude Xangan meet up?  I better close this entry.  This is too much for my brain to handle. 

It was a nice day after work last week and I wandered around my neighborhood enjoying the late afternoon sun.  It was a bit tricky taking pictures with sun and shade. 

A lot of folks don’t notice this “Heartbreak Hotel” sign.  It’s faded and blends right into the background.  I like these old signs.  I’m not sure what that building is (likely apartments).  There’s a hamburger place at the ground level.

I guess this is better than siding.

I had to touch this photo up a bit because of the sun and shadow.  This is a very handsome building and I wondered what it was like in the old days.  Here’s a real estate video ad when it was up for sale last year (click here).

I decided to spoil myself recently as I was working from home and checked out a new coffee shop that opened in my neighbourhood.  Dark Horse Espresso popped up in the location of a long time neighbourhood grocery store.  It caused a fuss (link here) when that store closed.  I’m not sure why they opened a coffee shop here.  There are easily a dozen coffee shops within walking distance from my condo (4 of them are Starbucks).  Since I watch my money a bit more carefully now (I watch it leave my wallet a lot) I try not to spend too much time on coffee shops.  The atmosphere was nice and the staff was friendly.  I had a large French Press (they tell you when 4 minutes is up) with a sandwich.  The large communal table was packed so I just sat on a small table for 1.  It’s sort of like a half table with a stool and it reminded me of an old school desk. The coffee was flavourful and not too acidic.  The panini seemed a bit under done.  But the smoked turkey inside was fine.  The total was around $12 which was a bit too pricey.  It was the equivalent of about 2 1/2 mugs of coffee though. 

It was a good way to spend a long lunch and I got a bit of fresh air.  I think if I was a writer, I could get used to this lifestyle.  Wake up whenever I want to, jot down ideas and notes where ever I can park my butt and then spend a quiet afternoon composing my stories.  But I’m not sure if I have the discipline to do that.  Although it would be a nice fantasy. 

Speaking of fantasy, I just love this design.  It’s an interesting development that came online in my neighborhood a year or two ago.  I think the previous homeowners made a nice profit on their homes when they sold it to the developers.  It’s called Richmond Town Manors and they are decent size units (1,700 sq ft to 1,800 sq. ft).  I read somewhere that the units were around $860k to $930k.  It’s way out of my price range and it would take me another lifetime of savings to purchase them.  Sorry for the bad composition of the pictures.  I wanted to shoot from the other side but someone from inside the end unit was staring at me when I took my camera out.  So I snuck around to this side.

I could use a bit more colour in my life.